Followed
by scifigirl77
Summary: Cas is missing. Sam and Dean are worried about him when a stranger shows up at their hotel room, saying she knows who took Cas. Someone from their past, someone they forgot. And someone who wants revenge.
1. Chapter 1

Sam and Dean thought they could relax. Hell was closed and Crowley was human, no longer able to torture them and destroy everything they had. Cas had sealed off Heaven for good, losing his powers in the process, but he always said it was worth the sacrifice. They thought they would be safe at least for a little while.

But then the phone call came. Charlie was screaming about someone coming for her; she didn't know who it was, and all she could tell them was that his eyes looked dead. And that was it. The phone call ended and they didn't know if she was alive or not.

Then it was Kevin. His phone call had one word – help. Then it was a quick scream, and again nothing.

Finally, it was the last straw. Cas had been missing for four days. Dean and Sam and Cas had been working a case together when he just didn't return to the hotel one night. They had spent the next few days looking everywhere possible for Cas, but he was nowhere to be found. It was the afternoon of the fourth day, and they were both out of ideas on where to look for Cas.

Dean was pacing around the room, looking like he was going to punch a hole into every wall he could find. Sam was lying on the bed, trying to ignore Dean's movements while also trying to help. "Dean, we've looked everywhere."

"Maybe he split. He's done it before, why not keep doing it?" Dean didn't want to believe it, didn't want to believe that Cas would leave again. But it was always a possibility.

"Dude, you know he wouldn't, and he couldn't, not without a car."

"Then where is he?" Dean yelled at Sam.

Sam sat up and stared Dean down. He knew Dean was worried, he was too. And he knew how Dean was when he was worried, he just hated it when he couldn't help his brother.

A knock brought them both back to reality. Someone was knocking frantically on the door. Dean was there first, thinking it was Cas and he could be injured and unable to get his key or something. But when the door opened, he didn't see Cas. He saw a woman, shorter than he was, who was scared and worried. "Dean and Sam Winchester?"

"Who wants to know?" Dean asked gruffly.

"Please, I need your help, and you need mine. Castiel is in danger, and it's partially my fault. But I didn't know – "

"Whoa, slow down. You know Cas? And you caused him being in danger?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know this would happen, I thought he would be fine when I helped him – "

"Hold on," Sam chimed in. "Come in and just – explain everything." She nodded, clutching her bag tightly as she crossed the threshold. She walked over to a chair but couldn't sit down. She sighed as she looked around the room, waiting for them to sit. They both sat on the end of the beds, staring at her. She glanced between them, her almond eyes wide with fear. Her hair framed her face, which, Dean could tell, was usually smiling, but not now. "Go ahead. Tell us what's happening," Dean said calmly. "And, maybe your name."

She took a deep breath. "My name is Kara. I'm not entirely human. I'm a Nephilim, a half human half angel creature. I get to have all the powers of an angel with all the emotions of a human. Not as fun as it sounds. But that's how Cas and I are friends, I met him when I was little and we've been friends for centuries. Even now, after he's fallen, we're still friends. I can usually find him but now he's missing and I can't sense him anywhere. Which means someone who knows me and has studied me has him. And I can only think of one living person."

Sam had to take a minute to fully comprehend what had been said. But Dean stayed focused. "So, who has Cas and possibly our other friends?"

"Someone you know. He's using your friends to get to you, to get revenge on you. Because you abandoned him instead of trying to help him." Kara took off her purse and finally sat down.

"Well, that narrows it down a little, I suppose. But just tell us who it is."

* * *

Cas opened his eyes. Another day's torture, another day of silence. He coughed up some blood before sitting up on his bed. His groans caught the attention of another, a friend. "Castiel?"

Cas' head popped up. "Kevin Tran? Where are you? What are you doing here?"

"I don't know. I just remember someone grabbing me and – "

"Wait," came an unfamiliar female voice. "Castiel? As in, dreamy angel to the Winchesters?"

"Uh, less angel now but yes. Who are you?"

"Charlie Bradbury. I'm a friend of the Winchesters. And who is Kevin Tran?"

"I'm a prophet of the lord. The Winchesters helped me out. I guess you could call us friends now."

"Quiet!" came the voice of their captor. "Don't talk to each other." Their captor walked down the hall. Cas heard a door open and Charlie's voice crying, "Please, not again. Please." He heard footsteps, a door slam, and then silence until Kevin's voice came out. "Who is this guy? What's wrong with him?"

Cas sighed. "His name is Adam Milligan. He's the half brother of Sam and Dean. And I think what's wrong with him is that he was in Lucifer's cage for an immeasurable amount of time with Lucifer and Michael."


	2. Chapter 2

"You have to tell us everything, Kara, from the beginning," Sam said. "Everything."

"Everything is too much. I've been here for too many centuries. But everything involving this situation shouldn't take long." She nodded, and began her story.

* * *

_She had felt it every time. Kara, as a Nephilim, was connected to Heaven and felt it every time the angels interfered with Earth. For centuries, it had been quiet. She had been able to hide herself from the angels and live a mostly normal life. _

_ But she felt it when Dean Winchester was raised by the angels._

_ She felt it when Lucifer's cage was opened. Both times._

_ She felt it when the boy's soul was ripped from Heaven by Zachariah._

_ And after the second opening of the cage, it was quiet. For over a year, it was quiet. _

_ One day, as she was preparing her dinner, she doubled over in pain. A scream filled her head, resonating inside her. She fell to the floor unconscious, and found him. She recognized his soul as the one Zachariah raised. But he wasn't screaming from Heaven. "Please," he begged. "Help me. They took his soul out. He was the only thing protecting me. They're torturing me. Please." _

_ "You're in the cage. I don't know if I have that kind of power." She could barely see him as he faded away, back into the cage. Her eyes flew open and her breathing was erratic. As she stood up, she called to the easiest angel to find, the only one who would speak to her. _

_ "And how can I help you?" Death said, standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. He walked over and helped her into a chair, remaining standing and staring at her. She looked up at him as her breathing calmed. "There's an innocent soul in Lucifer's cage. You're the most powerful angel, you have to help him."_

_ "I assume you're referring to the half Winchester boy." _

_ "I don't know. I just know he's innocent and has no business being there." _

_ "I have already rescued a soul from there. I dare not go back."_

_ "You have to," she yelled. "He's an innocent."_

_ "I will not. And neither will you, you do not have the strength."_

_ "I will not leave him there. If you will not go, I will and I will save him." _

_Death no longer saw the point in arguing with her. "If you do, it will weaken you. And it could kill you."_

_She knew he was right, but she also knew that boy did not deserve what was happening to him. She looked Death in the eyes. "I have to try."_

xxx

_She was at the graveyard where the apocalypse was meant to take place. She could feel the opening of the cage was, and the closer she was to it the more she felt the boy's soul. "I have to do this," she repeated to herself. She closed her eyes, recited the spell, and fell unconscious._

_She stifled a scream at the site of the cage. Nothing had prepared her for the terrifying image in front of her. Two great shadows were looming over herself and the boy, body and soul. The shadows hadn't noticed her yet, they were so fixated on the boy. She walked over to where he was as fast as possible. The shadows darkened as they noticed her, but she grabbed onto the boy and recited the exit spell, she hoped quickly enough._

_She woke up, gasping, and felt her hand grasping another's'. She opened her eyes and looked to her side. There he was, unconscious but alive. She smiled a bit and then whooshed them both back to her house. She laid him in a spare bed and then collapsed into her own. Every now and then, she would half wake up but she wasn't fully herself again for days. When she finally completely woke up, she checked on the boy. _

_She found that he was still unconscious, his time in the cage taking a great toll on him. She couldn't waste any more time; he had to be healed. She grabbed her books and began the mental healing process._

_He woke up two days after she did, screaming. She ran to him and grabbed his shoulders. "Shhh, it's ok, you're safe now, I promise you." He continued screaming, but the yells got more and more quiet as tears flowed from his eyes. "It was awful. Everything was…" _

"_You are safe. Lie back, it's time for more healing." He didn't understand and continued to cry. She pulled him to her and hugged him, letting him cry into her. As she hugged him, she whispered healing spells. He calmed down after a while and pulled away from Kara. "Who are you?" he asked, looking at her. _

"_My name is Kara. I'm trying to help you. You should rest, but don't sleep. You've slept for a week. Just try to relax." He nodded as he laid down. "My brothers. Sam and Dean. Where are they?" _

"_I don't know. I can find them for you." He nodded again and looked away from her. _

_As the months passed, his strength grew. He had nightmares of the cage every night for almost a year. For six months, his waking eyes would see Lucifer and Michael around the house. Kara helped him as much as possible, giving him exercises to do to dispel the nightmares and the images. And they worked; one day, he saw nothing except Kara and their surroundings. And finally he slept through the night for the first time._

_He eventually was well enough to be helping her around the house and the yard. His mental health kept improving. They had become friends, but Kara always felt that something was distant about him. She had seen his memories, knew how he was before his family's curse had found him. Something was different from that Adam and this Adam. But, as she knew all too well, entering the world of monsters can change a person. She had seen it so many times over the years with those she had tried to grow close to. The knowledge of this world forever changed a person, and it had struck again with Adam._

_After a few years, she saw no reason for him to remain with her. As far as she could see, he was healthy and could return to the normal world. She offered to help him find a home and job, but he said he would be fine on his own. "Well, keep me updated on yourself. If you ever feel the nightmares returning, do not hesitate to call."_

"_I will," he smiled. "Can you help me one more time? I want to go to my old hometown, see if I can rebuild my life there." She nodded and whooshed them to his town. They said goodbye, and she went home._

_She tried to keep track of him. He didn't stay in his home town, instead choosing to move around the country. Eventually, she lost track of him and grew concerned. It wasn't that she wanted to lose track, she just couldn't find him anymore. When Castiel went missing, she knew she had to find help. She tracked down the Winchesters, knowing they would be her best help._

* * *

Sam sat back after having paid full attention to Kara's tale. Dean hadn't stopped pacing the room since Adam's name had first been spoken. "So, if you can't sense him, how do we find them?" Dean asked.

"I'm not sure. It's why I came to you, I was hoping we could work together to find a way. He's targeting your friends to get to you."

"Which means he has to be nearby to have gotten to Cas," Sam stated as he stood, blocking Dean's pacing. "He's somewhere in town, or just outside of town. But the point is he's close." Sam faced Dean then turned to Kara. "You tracked him. Do you remember the towns you tracked him in?"

Kara joined them in standing, understanding what Sam meant. "Yes, I do. If we can compare it to the places you two have been-"

"We can figure out his game plan, figure out how close he's been and for how long," Dean finished as he raced to get the map. It took a while, but they discovered his pattern. "He's been staying five miles out of the towns we're in for nearly a year. Here's the five mile radius for this town," Dean drew a circle around where they currently were. "Now we just gotta find the right place."


	3. Chapter 3

Charlie had been sitting in the uncomfortable chair for hours. She continuously shifted positions trying to be at least moderately comfortable but nothing was working. She sighed and slouched down in the chair, crossing her arms. This whole time, he had barely said one word to her. He kept muttering to himself, kept holding his head in his right hand, pacing back and forth. It was making her dizzy. "So, we gonna talk or no? Because I'm tired and would love to go back to my comfortable cell." Sarcasm dripped through the echo around the building. She half-smiled to herself; not only was it the truth but she knew that if she said it loud it enough anyone close by outside would hear her.

He turned to her, confused. "Wh-what? What are you doing here?"

"You brought me here. About four hours ago. I need sleep and from the looks of it, so do you." She saw the bags under his eyes and how his clothes hung off his bones. These were visible from miles away; she couldn't believe he was still standing, let alone walking.

He shook his head quickly. "No, no, I can't sleep. The nightmares…I don't sleep." He went back to pacing. "Can't sleep at all."

She sat up, curious and hoping a conversation might help her and the others. "What nightmares?"

"They don't stop, they never stop, even waking, I just – ahh." He doubled over in pain, moaning, eyes closed. Charlie wasn't sure what to do. She looked around for an exit but couldn't just leave him, whoever he was – she still didn't know. She stood and walked over to him slowly. "Um, you…you alright? Come on, let's get you out of here." She went to grab his arm as he straightened up. Charlie jumped back, startled. He turned to her, but his look had changed completely. "We're not going anywhere," he said quietly and menacingly.

* * *

Castiel sat on his bed much like he had sat on a park bench a long time ago with his best friend. "Cas," Kevin whispered. "Cas. What do we do? How do we get out?"

"I don't know. I assume Sam and Dean have realized something is wrong but unless they have help…what I want to know is how Adam was released from the cage. And when. How long has he been alive again?"

"What are you talking about? What happened with him?"

"Many things. He was eaten by a ghoul. Resurrected by angels. Taken by Michael. And thrown in Lucifer's cage by Sam. That was the last we heard of him. But someone brought him out of the cage. Only angels have that kind of power."

Kevin stared into Cas' cell, mouth open. "All this happened because he's half Winchester? Yikes. No wonder he's gone mad." Cas nodded in agreement. "But what does he want with us?" Kevin asked.

"The connection between the three of us is his brothers. It must be a way to get to them." Castiel looked up through the bars at Kevin. "Has he injured you at all?"

"No. I just sit in a chair while he mutters and sometimes he talks to me, asking about my relationship with Sam and Dean. But it's never gotten physical. There was that one time, though…" He looked down at the floor. "I was sitting as I do every time, and he was muttering as he does. But something changed in him. He stood taller, looked healthier, and looked scarier. I don't know what had happened in him but -." He was cut off by Adam and Charlie's return. As Kevin looked, he saw the Adam he had been trying to describe. Adam put Charlie back in her cell, closed his eyes tightly for a moment, then left, breathing heavily. When the door shut, Kevin stood and said, "That's the change. That's it. But what is it?"

Cas had stood as well and moved closer to the bars. "He's fighting something inside him. And losing."

"So what do we do? How do we get out?" Charlie asked.

Cas kept staring at the door. He squinted in the dark as he realized there was a symbol carved into it. "It's a hiding symbol."

"What?" Kevin and Charlie asked together. Cas didn't get a chance to answer as a weakened Adam ran into the room. "I need you. Please." He grabbed Cas out of his cell and they ran out into the main room.


	4. Chapter 4

Cas stood next to Adam in the large main room. Adam stared at Cas with fear and severity. "Please, while it's quiet. You're an angel, you can heal. Please heal me."

"I'm sorry – I was an angel. I lost my grace a while back. I'm human now." Cas looked at Adam with pity. He didn't know what was wrong with the boy, but Cas knew he was afraid of whatever was inside him.

"Not…an angel. But…you were my only…and now…who can help AHHHH." Adam doubled over in agony, screaming louder than Cas, Charlie, and Kevin had heard. "What's happening? Adam. What is this?"

Adam stopped screaming. His eyes widened just before he stood straight up. His head slowly turned to Castiel. "It's nothing. There's no need for you to worry, Castiel. Time to chat."

Castile backed away a step as Adam continued to speak. "So, I'm sure your precious Winchesters have begun looking for you. How close do you think they are?"

Castiel had never really understood the emotion of fear, but today he was beginning to truly feel it. "Adam, I know you feel angry because your brothers didn't save you from the archangels or the cage. I do not know how you were freed, but please stop this revenge scheme now. They will find us soon and then we can all talk about what happened to you. Please."

"No,no,no. There's no more talking. I want them to find us and feel the revenge planned." Adam half smiled, and Castiel felt a shiver up his spine.

* * *

Charlie stared at the symbol on the back of the door. "If we could just break part of the symbol, someone would find us."

"But…symbols usually hide you from supernatural beings. The Winchesters aren't supernatural, so who are we being hidden from?" Kevin asked from the back of his cell.

"Could be anything." She looked around her cell with no luck. "If only there was something I could throw at it. Do you have anything?"

Kevin shook his head. "Nothing. Empty pockets, no loose stones…" Both of them looked up towards the door as a scream rang through the building. They looked at each other before returning to the search.

A few minutes later, they still had nothing. They heard footsteps coming toward them along with a slight dragging sound. The door opened as Adam half dragged Castiel back in. As the door closed, Cas doubled in pain and reached for the door handle to steady himself. Adam lifted him up, put him on his bed, and left without even glancing at the other two. Kevin and Charlie raced to their bars to see how Cas was. To their surprise, he was laughing. "What's funny?" Charlie asked. Cas just pointed at the door. Both looked, and saw a tiny scratch in the symbol.

* * *

Kara was in the back seat of the Impala as they drove to the next section they planned to search. They had already searched a few grids they had laid out on the map, with no luck. It was beginning to get dark out. Dean parked and they all got out and grabbed flashlights out of the trunk. They split up in the area, beginning their search; Sam and Dean each went to one side with Kara in the middle. Every minute, she was reaching out, trying to find him with her mind. Something was continuously blocking her attempts, pushing her away, until the spike hit her mind. She cried out in pain, grabbed her head while dropping the flashlight, and collapsed.


End file.
